Adjustable bearing.



F. SCHNEIDER.

ADJUSTABLE BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED DEc.I6. 1913.

1,185,836. paIenIeaJune,-191

fi Z 021524170 FRANKLIN scrINEIDEaoE CLEVELAND, oIIIo, AssIeNoE, DY IvIEsNE ASSIGNMENTS@ TO THE VAN DORN ELECTRIC TOOL COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

ADJUSTABLE BEARING.

Application filed December 1s, 19113. serial No. 807,142.

' To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANKLIN SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and

State of Ohio, have invented a new and.

useful AImprovement in Adjustable Bearings, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention-beingV explained, and the best Inode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention relates to electrically operated tools, and in particulary dle proper, to provide some means for flexibly or loosely connecting up these two shafts, and the present invention provides a method for so connecting them.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of' the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed Vout in the claims. Y f

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however', but one of the various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through an electrically operated tool to which my invention is applied; and Fig. 2 is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1.

The main features of the tool are plainly evident from Fig. 1, and need not be described in detail. A casing l is provided having a handle 2 and carrying a motor 3 which is shown with a shaft 4 extending at leither end. The shaft 4 at its operating end is snugly fitted into the inner race 5 of the ball bearing 6, such ball bearing being suitably mounted in the casing l. This end of the shaft 4L does not extend through the ball-bearing, thus permitting the introduction into the inner ball race of the inner endv of a tool spindle 7. The formation of the outer end ofthe motor shaft is best seen in Fig. 1, there being a transverse slot 8! and the edges of the spindle being rounded off at 9 as shown. The inner end of the tool shaft 7 is provided with a rounded tongue- 1Q which is adapted to loosely enter the slot:- 8 in the motor shaft, such tongue being soV formed on the end of the tool shaft that it will not reach the bottom of the slot in the motor shaft.V There is also mounted upon this inner end of the motor shaft a rounded bead 11 which loosely enters the inner ball race but is not snugly fitted therein.

Patented June e, i916.

Byv

this construction I am enabled to secure the advantages and results of a universal joint but with an extremely simple construction and one less expensive and complicated than '1s a universal jolnt. The necessity for such a connection between the shaft and spindle is readily understood. When two shafts are to be connected in alinement, each must have at least one separate bearing land one bearing common to both. -It is an expen-T sive operation to bore three perfectly alined apertures in the casings and yet unlessthis is done at a single operation it is practically impossible to secure perfect alinement. The inaccuracy will probably be very slight but it will be sufficient to cause binding the shafts at the point of connection and atthe common bearing. l

The tool mechanism and the motor may l thusY be constructed and placed in the casing as entirely separate units, the removal of the tool spindle and tool not disturbing the motorV which isv still left Yin the casing as a vseparate unit, which may be handled entirely separate from the tool spindle. Attention is also called to the fact that the main Vcasing 1 is provided at its lower or outer end with an end cover 15 which is removably attached to the main casing, suchl end cover receiving the-ball-bearing 6 and housing the outer end of the motor shaft. Keyed to the motor shaft is a fan 16 adapted to some extent to cool the motor during op-` eration. Y v

The longitudinal thrust exerted by the Shafts is considerable and causes relatively rapid wear on the usual thrust bearings if employed. I have, accordingly, designed convenient and accessible means for adjusting the thrust bearings employed for wear and have provided adevice for locking the adjusting means against operation caused by vibration.

In order to take up the longitudinal thrust upon the motor shaft, I provide thrust bearings 20 and 21 at the inner end of the motor shaft 4. A plate 22 is fitted around the shaft 4 in contactwith athrust bearing 21, such plate being provided with a longitudinal slot Y 23, a pin 24 engaging the shaft 4 and the slot v23, thus permitting longitudinal movement ofthe plate 22 along the shaftVbut preventing the same from rotating except with the shaft. A radial slot 25 is also formed in the plate 22, a spring 2G being mounted in this slot against the shaft 4 and a pin or plunger 27 being outwardly pressed by means of this spring. Such `pin y27 is adapted to engage in any one of a number of slots or openings 28 formed in avcap or cover plate 29 which is adjustably mounted upon the inner end of the motor shaft 4.

In order to adjust the thrustbearings for wear, it is only necessary to depress the plunger 27 when thecap 29 may be adjusted longitudinally upon the shaft, thus pressing the Aplate 22 against the thrust bearing and tighteningthe same. VAs soon as the cap has been moved the desired amount the plunger 27 is allowed to be pressed outwardly again,

in which case it will engage in one of the slots 28, thus locking the cap against further movement in either direction. This adj ustment may bein either direction, either to tighten the bearingvor loosen it and may be ,extremely sensitive since each notch represents but a few thousands of an inchl of longitudinal adjustment of the bearings.

Gther modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of vthe one explained, change being made as re- @epics of this patent may be yobtained for table shaft, a bearing member therefor rotatably mounted but iixedagainst longitudinal Ymovement, a thrust bearing for said shaft, a plate contacting said thrust bearing,

said plate being normally held against lon- -gitudinalmovement3 and means adapted to move said plate longitudinally, thereby adjusting said bearing.

2. #In a tool, vthe combination of a rota table shaft, a bearing member therefor rotatably -mounted but .fixed against longitudinal movement, a thrust bearing for said shaft, a plate contacting said thrust bearing, said plate having a longitudinal slot, a pin attached to said shaft, said pin entering such slot, thereby preventing rotatable movement of ,said plate withirespect to said shaft, and means adaptedto move said plate longitudi* nally, thereby adjusting said bearing.

3. -In a tool, the combination of a rotatable vshaft, a bearing member' therefor rotatably mounted but fixed against longitudinal movement,a thrustbearing foil said shaft, vafplate contacting said thrust bearing, said plate having a longitudinal slot, and radial slot, a'fpin attachedto said shaft, said pin entering such longitudinal slot,thereby preventingrotatable movement of said plate with respectto said shaft, a spring-prcssed plunger disposed .in Vsuch radial slot, a cap adjustably mounted on said shaft in contact with said plate, said cap being provided with a flange havinga yplurality of spaced apertures adapted, upon adjustment of said cap, to-register'with such radial slot in said plate andto receive said plunger. Y

Signed by methislOth day of December,

FRANKLINV SCHNEIDER. Attested by- H. vB. lFav, A. L.Gr1LL.V

ve cents eaclnhy,addressing.the"ommissioner of Patents. Washington, 20.70. 

